Sanlorenzo, renowned worldwide for its culture of craftsmanship and innovation in luxury yachting, has presented Breathtaking, the first exhibition at Casa Sanlorenzo, its newly launched cultural hub in Venice.
Curated under the Sanlorenzo Arts programme, the exhibition has been conceived and created by internationally celebrated artist Fabrizio Ferri as a powerful reflection on the destructive impact of plastic and microplastic pollution in the world’s oceans.
A cultural hub at the crossroads of art, design, and sustainability
Casa Sanlorenzo, housed within a meticulously restored 1940s villa overlooking the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, has been reimagined by Piero Lissoni, Sanlorenzo’s Artistic Director. More than just a venue, the hub is a space where design, dialogue, and environmental awareness converge. Accessible by the first pedestrian bridge built in Venice since 2008, the opening represents a bold new chapter for Sanlorenzo, aligning its heritage of yacht-building excellence with a deeper cultural and ecological purpose.
Breathtaking: An immersive artistic statement
Following its acclaimed debut at the Museo di Storia Naturale in Milan – where it attracted more than 40,000 visitors in just four days – Breathtaking now makes its Venetian premiere. The installation encases 13 renowned figures in plastic, suspended in haunting stillness, symbolising the silent suffocation caused by marine plastic pollution.
The Venice edition includes a powerful new addition: a portrait of music icon and environmental activist Sting. Other participants featured include Willem Dafoe, Helena Christensen, Misty Copeland, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon, Naomi Watts, Isabella Rossellini, Carolyn Murphy, Gala Gonzalez, and Bridget Moynahan.
At the centre of the installation, a striking glass coffin filled with seawater stands as a visceral reminder of the fragility of marine ecosystems. Contributing to the immersive experience, Marina Abramović has proposed the use of noise-cancelling headphones to recreate the soundless void of the ocean’s depths.
A collective call to action
“Not long ago, I stumbled upon some very disturbing photographs of a seal and a dolphin suffocated by plastic bags. Looking at these images I gained a new awareness: the deadly force of the contamination of the seas and oceans that we cause with plastic and microplastics is not only killing the oceans, we are also killing ourselves. To share this conviction, I conceived an installation, Breathtaking, capturing dramatic portraits of famous international talents as if asphyxiated by plastic,” says Fabrizio Ferri.
Sanlorenzo’s Executive Chairman, Massimo Perotti, highlighted the deeper meaning of the project: “Casa Sanlorenzo is a natural extension of our philosophy, where beauty and responsibility go hand in hand. WithBreathtaking, we open our doors not only to art but to a deeper conversation about the future of our oceans. This is not just an installation. It is a statement of intent.”
A new chapter in Sanlorenzo’s cultural journey
The exhibition’s opening coincides with the Venice International Film Festival and Biennale Architettura 2025, placing Sanlorenzo at the centre of the city’s cultural season. More than a showcase, Casa Sanlorenzo embodies the brand’s values of innovation, sustainability, and beauty with purpose, inviting yacht owners, collectors, and cultural leaders into dialogue.
Breathtaking is curated by Geraldina Polverelli Ferri and Cristiano Seganfreddo, with photography in New York by Polverelli Ferri and in Italy in collaboration with Nobile Agency and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, supported by Credem Euromobiliare Private Banking.
Exhibition Information
Location: Casa Sanlorenzo, Venice
Dates: Tuesday 2 September – Sunday 23 November 2025
Opening Hours: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm (Thursday to Sunday)